MADE IT TO SAN JUANS... again!

BOARDED BY HOMELAND SECURITY

26 September 2014

Rick

Prepare to be boarded!!!!

I had my headphone in and scrubbing the decks... not paying much attention around me, when I got that strange feeling like I'm being watched! I turned around and sure enough, a security boat was trailing me about 50 feet away. I guess he was running my boat name in the computer database or something.
He then moved along side and said "this should only take a few minutes" and two guys jumped aboard while I was steaming at 5 knots.

Lucky for me, I had all my paperwork nice a neat in a three ring binder!!! AND.... good thing My lovely wife made sure I had all up-to-date emergency gear! The Coast Guard guy asked to see the usual stuff... fire extinguishers, first aid, flares and the head. He said "Sir, you are the FIRST boat all season that has all the required safety gear and none of it was expired!" Thanks honey for insisting I go buy ALL NEW GEAR! (all my stuff was expired!!!! haha)

Headed to the San Juan Islands

26 September 2014

Rick

Well, Mother-nature made the decision for me and I'm headed back home via the San Juan Islands. Terri is in Afghanistan working, and the girls are in school, so I'll take a pitstop in the Islands before going back to work my self.
This is Seal Rock in my wake... headed back to the EAST now.

Spear Fishing

24 September 2014 | Neah Bay

I'm going to give it a few days to see what the weather does... in the mean time, I found some people from Oregon that drive up and go spearfishing every year!
We took JUNESSA out around the island and break wall of Neah Bay to find a whale feeding in the spot we wanted to fish.
We were able to shoot a good size stringer of fish. It's was a lot of fun being back in the water!!!

STROM STORM STORM

23 September 2014 | Neah Bay

Well, it looks like Mother Nature does not want me to do the Pacific Crossing this year... :(

There are two nasty systems headed my way and I have to be back to work in Alaska in 30 days. There is NO WAY I can wait out these two systems and make the Hawaiian Islands in time to get back to work.

Made it to Neah Bay!

21 September 2014 | Neah Bay

I MADE IT TO NEAH BAY!!!
I've been wanting to get here for YEARS!!! This was always going to be the jumping off point for the Pacific... Either heading W to Hawaii, SW to South Pacific, or S to Mexico!!!
It's now time to make the big decision... Hawaii or South Pacific...
The only problem... the storms being kicked off Mexico and the storms headed to the Pacific Northwest... grrrr! COME ON ALREADY! I'm here, loaded for a Pacific Crossing and need to get a move on! Work is a calling!
More to follow!
Cheers!

Kicking back downwind!

Port Angeles Pitstop

20 September 2014 | puget Sound, Washington

Ahoy from Port Angeles!

I was about 2 hours East of Port Angeles and noticed the temperature drop big time... I went down below for my coat and some hot coffee, crawled back on deck to find myself in THICK FOG! Lucky I had AIS and Radar! I had two huge container ships headed right for me then make sharp tunes towards the West. (I was in the shipping lane... whoops!)
I pulled into Port Angeles to see some friends from our time in Guam. It was great seeing Dan and Rhonda!

Passing Port Townsend

19 September 2014 | Puget Sound, Washington

Rick

I'm headed to Neah Bay to make a final decision... head to Hawaii or South Pacific! The boat is loaded up and ready to head out into the deep waters!
JUNESSA is running great! Feeling confident and healthy! The only thing missing are my girls. :(
Neah Bay, here I come!

CLOSING OUT THE LOG

Shower Time!

16 August 2014 | San Juans

Rick

Sigh... JUNESSA was perfect for one single guy! but when you pack in three FEMALES with NO SHOWER... you know theres going to be trouble for the Captain!!!! We pulled into harbors with showers as often as we could! Lucky for me, the girls were very easy going when it came to using the marina facilities!

FAMILY CRUISING IN SAN JUANS

15 August 2014 | SAN JUAN IS., WA, USA

rick 123,297

Ahoy from the San Juan Islands!
(actually from my kitchen table after the fact... better late than never!)

After letting my burnt hand heal up and scrapping the Around the Americas trip (small window to get thru the Northwest Passage) JUNESSA set sail with Terri, Jenna and myself for the world famous San Juan Islands. Taylor caught up with us a week later via Kenmore Air float plane (Lucky girl!!)

We actually SAILED the first two days then back to the usual motor-sailing around the San Juans. The winds are usually off the nose, no matter which direction I'm heading... I must have pissed off the wind gods!

Once Taylor joined us, we decided that our little 28' Bristol Channel Cutter is tooooooooooo SMALL for all of us. I'll take her out for one last big trip, then get her ready to be listed. We were able to go aboard a number of boats, power-boats and sailboats, all much bigger and spacious than our little boat.

Stay tuned for the next adventure of BCC JUNESSA.... should have a PLAN this week!
Cheers!!!

JUNESSA has a few new crew members! My lovely wife, Terri, who is eager to go cruising as a family! Taylor, our teenager, and Jenna our youngest and Pixie the wonder dog.

Extra:

This is my very first boat!!!! Nothing like starting out with the best Blue Water Cruiser money can buy! The BCC was designed by Lyle Hess and made famous by Lin & Larry Pardey as they documented in books, videos and dvd's their sailing adventures on board their homebuilt BCC 'Taleisin'.
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current job as a helicopter pilot with Evergreen/Erickson Helicopters takes me to the Great White North of Alaska for a 6-weeks-on/6-weeks-off rotation.